Toothbrush



W. R. REESE July 19, 1932.

TOOTHBRUSH Filed July 25, 1931 INVENTOR 2065 Tan H. Reese WITNESSES 7 groups facing as illustrated Patented July 1 9, 1 932 WESTON R. REESE, F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA TOOTHBRUSH Application filed July 25,

This invention relates to toothbrushes and has for an object to provide an improved toothbrush which is adapted to function when in one position to clean three surfaces of the teeth at one time.

rrnother object of the invention is to provide an improved toothbrush having facing groups of bristles for cleaning both sides of the teeth at once, the back holding the bristles being divided or slit whereby resilient action is secured.

A still further object, more specifically, is to provide a toothbrush wherein the back is provided with a set of bristles facing in one direction and on the diametrically ops posite side are provided upstanding members carrying bristles adapted to act on both sides of the teeth at one time, the first set of bristles acting on one surface only.

In the accompanying drawing,

- Figure 1 is a side view of a toothbrush disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the brush shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through Figure 2 on line 33. Figure 4: is an end view of the brush shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numeral, 1 indicates a handle which merges into the back 2, which back is divided into sections 3 and tby the opening or slot 5. The slot merges into a rounded aperture 6 to present a' pleasing appearance and to prevent splitting of the handle 1.

' The back 2 is provided with a pair of upstanding sections 7 and 8, said sections. carrying groups of bristles 9 and 10, said particularly in Figures 2 and 4. The handle 1, back 2, sections 7 and 8 may be made from celluloid, bone, bakelite or any other desired material. The bristles 9 and 10 may be mounted in any desirable or usual way.

Preferably the bristles 9 and 10 extend to 1931-. Serial No. 553,155.

a point near the sloth though they could be spaced therefrom if desired. The main idea in this respect is to have the brushes a proper distance apart whereby the groups of bristles 9 and 10 may operate on both sides of the teeth at the same time and press against the teeth so as to produce a cleaning action. In case the teeth are comparatively wide, as for instance the molars, the

sections 3 and 4 will move apart through v the resilient action thereof and the pressure of the bristles 9 and 10 against the teeth will be maintained. The back and forth action of the brush may be carried out freely as there are no end members connecting sections' 7 and 8. In addition, a limited up and down movement may be secured though the principal function is the back and forth movementi/ On the rear face of the back 2 is arranged a group of bristles 11 which operate in the usual manner of an ordinary tooth brush and may be caused to move back and forth on either side of the teeth, on top of the teeth 01' may be moved up and down longitudinally of the teeth as preferred. Preferably the bristles 11 are longer than bristles 9 and 10. This is in order that bristles 11 may be of substantially the usual'length now in common use whereby a proper flexible action may be secured, while the bristles 9 and 10 are shorter in order that the entire width of the toothbrush may not be too great and yet brushes may be presented to both sides of the teeth simultaneously. I' v I From Figures 1 and 3 it will be seen that the bristles 11 gradually increase in length toward the handle to take care of the decreasing distance between the upper and lower sets of teeth and the wedge shaped position of the teeth when the mouth is open for the purpose of cleaning the teeth. It will therefore be noted that the bristles 11 are adapted: to be used to: clean the biting surface of the teeth whilethe bristles 9 and 10 are cleaning the side of the opposite set of teeth. It is, ofcourse, understood that the bristles 11 could be used to clean the front and back of the teeth as is now done with an ordinary brush.

In addition to this usual action of the bristles, the bristles 11 function to clean the biting surfaceof the upper teeth when the sides of the lower teeth are being cleaned by the bristles 9 and 10; The reverse is also true, namely, the bristles 11 act to clean the biting surface of the lowerteeth when the bristles 9 and 10 act to clean the sides of the upper teeth. It will, of course, be underdle for preventing splitting thereof while allowing a resilient action to the divided parts of the handle and the back, a pair of substantially rectangular members integral with the back and upstanding from two of the edges thereof, said members extending normal to the rear face of said back, each of said members being provided with bristles, the respective bristles facing, and a set of bristles on the front face of said back facing-in a direction opposite to saidupstanding members;

W WESTON 'R Q REESE.

stood that the teeth Inustbe held in proper as just described.

As illustrated in the drawing, a steelspring position to permit all the bristles to function I T 12 is fitted into the endof slot 5't'o strengthen the handle and toavoid splitting. The spring is preferably embedded as shown particularly in Figure 2 and may be held in position by f (116 at the end of said slotr which' divides '05 IL A tooth brush comprising a handle merging into a back, means on one face of said back carrying two rows of bristles,

said rows of bristles facing and a plurality of bristles extending from the, opposite face of said back, saidback being divided centrally and between said pair of facingibristles. 2. A toothbrushcomprising a handle of resilient material merging into a back of the same material, saidback and part of said handle being split centrally longitudinally,

anupstanding member on each edge of said I standing members carried by said back and extending normal to the surface of said back i with the longestwdimension positioned parallel to the sides .Ofthe back, bristles carf ried by said upstandingmembers the bristles on'one member facing the bristles on the other member and a third set of bristles car ried by said back; and facing in, the direction opposite to said upstanding members.-

7 '4, Abrushfcomprising a resilient handle mergingjinto'a-back oflthe same material, i said back being substantially rectangular,

said backand that part of the handle "adjacent the'back being formed with a slot for dividing, the same, centrally longitudinally,

a reenforcing spring embeddedinsaidhan- I i,

part of saidahandleforireenforcing the han- 

